Tools of Yesterday

[Rick]

I was wondering how many folks use less modern tools to do wood working, crafting or building? Things like pole lathes, draw knives, hand bellows forge, that sort of thing. I've built many of my own tools and was wondering how many of you do the same.

I great book that I've learned a lot from is Ancient Carpenter's Tools by Henry C. Mercer. Tons of illustrations. It would come as no surprise that many of today's tools came from European ancestors but did you know many of them were adapted from Chinese ship building tools? It was a small world even then.

[crashdive123]

There's a show on PBS - I think it's call Woodwright shop - I don't regularly watch it, but when I do, I am just fascinated by the tools and how they work.

[Ole WV Coot]

The man's name is Roy Underhill. I have a few of his books somewhere. He's fun to watch because he's as clumsy as I am. Years ago his show was live, cut himself and bled all over the wood. He was, when I was in the Richmond area the chief cook & bottle washer at Williamsburg. He's a nice guy and fun to talk to.:)

[Rick]

He's does know his stuff. I've watched him several times and I'm pretty impressed with what he can do with wood.

[dragonjimm]

forge work has fascinated me for years. i missed three forge ins at tennehill because of work. i have helped dad maske several tools and jigs for layout work with steel plate and have several jig and a few clamps i have made or modified myself.
cant work with wood for some reason its always too soft. gimme a chunk of good carbon steel and i'm a happy camper.
i hope to make a few knives before long.

[DOGMAN]

I've never made my own tools, but I have used alot of the old traditonal stuff in my life. I've helped build a couple of cabins using only hand tools, and its pretty grueling, but rewarding work. One fall I sat out of college and worked for a log home company, and I used a draw knife everyday until my arms about fell off. Also, worked doing some small scale logging with horses. That was tough work too. I hope to learn alot more about this style of building in my life- I was basically always the "heyboy" on these projects- but, I'd like to build something from start to finish on my own- figuring it out on my own- not being bossed around

[RBB]

My father lived through the great depression. When I was young, he was always trying to save electricity. One of the most annoying things I remember was drilling a series of holes through angle iron with a bit-brace. We always had a lot of hand tools around, and we learned to use them. We still have a lot of wooden block planes, bit braces (including several odd looking ones), broad axes, crooked knives, draw knives, coopers draw knives, ship-wright's chisels, cross cut saws, a box rip saw (for pit sawing planks) - as well as many odds and ends.

I still make all my paddles using a hatchet and draw knife. Once you get the feel for it - it is actually less work than using power tools.

My grandfather was an expert at the German method of broad-axing beams and I learned from him at an early age. For several years in his youth he made ties, and could produce 300 per day.

Nice to know how to use some of these tools, but I'm usually all for power - if it's an option.

[Rick]

The benefit of being the "Hey Boy" is that you get to touch all of it AND (hopefully) you get to learn from some true artists.

I've made my own 4 foot panel clamps out of pine 2X4. You could glue up a mountain and those things would hold it. Also some wooden thread cutters with home made brades. I did a great job on the thread cutter but can't use the thing worth a da*n! I always wind up splitting the end of the dowel and I hate soaking it in kerosene because it changes the color of the wood. Anyway....

[Rick]

RBB - My grandfather and father (as a boy) did the same thing. They handmade ties for the mines.

You mentioned in another thread that your grandfather was too poor to buy your grandmother a ring. Same thing with my grandfather. He took a silver quarter and reamed it out and smoothed it until he had fashioned her a silver ring. I told my youngest son the story and he did the same thing when he got married out of respect for the tradition. I thought that was pretty cool on his part.

[crashdive123]

That was cool that your son did that. My grandfather was a fishing boat captain in Nova Scotia. He told me growing up how he had made a wedding band since he couldn't afford to buy one. Years later he bought a band and engagement ring. My grandmother wanted to make sure that it had a real diamond, so she put a BIG scratch across the kitchen window. I asked her why she made such a big scratch - her reply - so that I could look at it as I walked into the kitchen and be reminded every day. It's the engagement ring that my wife wears today.